It's All an Act, You Know
by slr2moons
Summary: Kyuu isn't as innocent and clueless as he lets on. He has Ryuu wrapped around his finger, and Ryuu doesn’t have the slightest idea.
1. Chapter 1: Kyuu

This fanfic is at some point after Ryuu begins to stay with Kyuu. It is a work of fanfiction and has nothing official to do with the official version of this anime and manga in any way whatsoever. For interesting info about this fic, please see its blurb in my profile page.

**Shounenai-BL-Yaoi warning!** If the thought of two beautiful men who are attracted to each other makes you squick, best go read something else!! Rated PG-13 for fun sexual overtones. Rowr!

.oOo.

_**It's All an Act, You Know**_

_(one: Kyuu)_

Kyuu watched from the corner of his eye as Ryuu delicately nibbled at an octopus-sausage. Ryuu's pale and graceful hand held the chopsticks in that almost feminine manner which always made Kyuu's pulse race. Ryuu's teeth were white against the dark red skin of the sausage. When they cut into to the firm meat, Kyuu softly moaned. As Ryuu's lips pulled the sausage into his mouth, Kyuu's tongue touched his own lips in a slow lick.

Ryuu swallowed. Kyuu found the movement of the other's throat completely erotic, and he stared, hypnotized, until Ryuu noticed and raised an eyebrow in puzzlement.

Kyuu met his gaze and grinned, then deliberately lifted the drink he had 'accidentally' stolen from Ryuu to his own mouth. He took a deep, long pull, tilting his head back, his eyes holding Ryuu captive. He swallowed once and kept drinking, even when a drop of juice escaped the corner of his mouth to trickle down his jaw and neck. With satisfaction, Kyuu saw Ryuu's lips part slightly, and his breathing quicken. The other boy finally ripped his gaze away, his face bright red.

Ryuu stared to the side and wordlessly held out his napkin.

With a gasp of breath, Kyuu finished the bottle. He took the napkin from Ryuu, making sure his fingers brushed the other boy's skin. Kyuu wiped his face and neck with a disarming laugh.

"I really like this flavor of juice! How about you, Ryuu?"

"Ummm..." Ryuu fiddled with his bento box, his cheeks still pink, still avoiding Kyuu's gaze.

Kyuu grinned. "Here, let me open yours for you!" Without waiting for an answer, Kyuu snatched up the unopened bottle and twisted off the lid. He took a quick sip, smacked his lips in pleasure, and held the bottle out to an astonished Ryuu.

Smiling his most innocent smile, Kyuu laughed. "This one tastes even better, Ryuu! Have some!"

"Uhhhh..." Ryuu stared at Kyuu, then at the bottle, whose opening was still moist from Kyuu's mouth.

"Go on!"

Ryuu's full blush returned with a vengeance. He took the bottle from Kyuu, paused for a second, then drank.

"See? I told you it was good!!" Kyuu laughed.

"Ummm..." Ryuu set the bottle down. "Yes, it was good." He picked up his chopsticks, taking two tries before he could grasp his last octopus-sausage and lift it to his mouth. He paused, cut his eyes to Kyuu, and softly added, "I like that...flavor...too."

_(completed 8-10-07, last tweaked 3-5-10)_


	2. Chapter 2: Ryuu

This fanfic is at some point after Ryuu begins to stay with Kyuu. It is a work of fanfiction and has nothing official to do with the official version of this anime and manga in any way whatsoever.

**Shounenai-BL-Yaoi warning!** If the thought of two beautiful men who are attracted to each other makes you squick, best go read something else!! Rated PG-13 for fun sexual overtones.

_**It's All an Act, You Know**_

_(two: Ryuu)_

Ryuu's world was off-kilter. Something was wrong within it, something that disturbed him and made him uncomfortable and nervous and not sure what he could do about it. The one constant thing in his life had vanished this morning with no explanation or warning.

He watched Kyuu from the corner of his eye as they walked to Kyuu's school. The other boy kept his distance, just far enough from Ryuu that they couldn't bump together as they moved, just far enough for their hands not to brush—even if Kyuu's hadn't been buried in his jacket pockets. But it hadn't started there. Kyuu had been preoccupied all morning, dragging himself out of bed instead of leaping up before the alarm could ring. He hadn't barged into the bathroom after Ryuu, suggesting they save water by brushing their teeth and washing up together. He hadn't insisted he found a stray thread or bit of lint or _something_ on Ryuu's stomach that needed removing before Ryuu finish pulling down his shirt.

Yet when they had sat to breakfast, Kyuu had instantly perked up. He'd asked his mother for more rice with his usual cheer. He'd even started an energetic debate over the possible solutions to Hongou-sensei's latest epic crime scenario. Ryuu had gratefully argued with him, glad for a hint of normalcy, and he did his best to not notice that Kyuu barely met his eyes during the entire debate. But the moment the front door had closed behind the pair, leaving them alone once more, Kyuu had shut back down. He hadn't said a word since.

Ryuu frowned and stared blankly ahead down the street. Kyuu wasn't supposed to be like this. He was bouncy, full of energy, always asking Ryuu's opinion or drawing him into a bright conversation or giving his hand a firm tug to urge him faster onto their next case. For Kyuu to be so quiet and reserved like this was _wrong_, and Ryuu had no idea why it bothered him so. The taller boy glanced over at Kyuu again as they neared the school, his mind racing as he tried to solve the puzzle.

Kyuu halted with his hands still shoved in his pockets and his gaze fixed on the ground. Ryuu parted his lips to ask what was going on when Kyuu cut him off by turning to trudge inside his school gates. Just barely, Ryuu heard him mumble, "Later."

As if it had been an afterthought.

Now Ryuu found himself waiting outside those same gates, ignoring the appreciative stares of both female and male students, still trying to figure out why sullen Kyuu disturbed him so much, and wondering if he could fix it. Even more disturbing, Ryuu couldn't decide if he meant fixing Kyuu's depression or his own strange reaction to it.

Ryuu heard a loud laugh that made his heart leap in hopes that a day of school had righted his world on its own. But when a surprised Kyuu met his eyes, the boy's laughter died. Kyuu's school friends gave Ryuu a dark look as they said their goodbyes and left the smaller boy standing in front of him.

Kyuu looked at Ryuu for a long moment in silence.

Ryuu could only meet his gaze with dismay. All the theories he had constructed during their hours apart to explain the change in Kyuu seemed suddenly ridiculous now that he faced his friend once more. He licked his lips, then managed to say, "Hey," in an attempt at normalcy. Ryuu hated how thin his voice sounded.

Kyuu didn't say a word. He just gave a faint nod and began to walk toward the train station they used to commute to DDS.

Ryuu grew more and more nervous and worried. He racked his brain trying to figure out what he had said or done to upset Kyuu, but couldn't think of anything that could cause this sudden emotional distance. He reached out once to touch Kyuu, his own hand almost aching for the familiar sensation of the other boy's skin, but he stopped a few centimeters away. Kyuu looked so depressed, and had been so unhappy to see him waiting outside the gates... Ryuu seriously doubted Kyuu would welcome his touch now. He fisted his hand to avoid temptation and stopped next to Kyuu on the platform to wait in silence for their train.

When Kyuu took a half step away from him, Ryuu glanced over and blinked. Kyuu's hand was also fisted and even trembling slightly. The taller boy's eyes widened. Something really _was_ wrong. He fought down his emotions and did his best to remain calm and give Kyuu space until the train arrived.

Only two seats were open on the train car, right next to each other. Ryuu sat, hoping Kyuu would take the other as he always had before, but the other boy turned his back to Ryuu and chose to stand. Ryuu could see the tendons in his forearm and the back of his hand stand out as he tightly gripped the rail.

Ryuu swallowed against the pain of being so obviously snubbed. Only something truly serious could have done this to Kyuu. Kyuu's cheer and energy were so constant, so resilient, so very right. Their absence screamed at Ryuu to do something to set his world straight again. He couldn't feel right, couldn't even think, until everything was back to normal.

The train stopped at the next station and their car quickly filled. Ryuu spotted an elderly woman and offered her his seat, which she took with a grateful bow. He stood behind Kyuu, and before the other boy could move away, used the rail and their fellow passengers to pin Kyuu in place.

Ryuu had just enough time to register the goose bumps that had pricked up on the back of Kyuu's neck, where his breath ruffled the dark green hair, when the train suddenly lurched forward. Ryuu darted his other arm around Kyuu's waist and pulled him firmly back until Kyuu was pressed flush against him.

He lowered his head so he could whisper in Kyuu's ear, "What's wrong, Kyuu? Why are you acting like this?"

Kyuu remained stiff for a moment, then slowly relaxed into Ryuu.

The simple act of acceptance was like a steadying hand on Ryuu's tilted world. He hugged Kyuu tighter, relief making his voice warm. "Tell me."

He felt the boy take a breath. "I just...I needed to solve a problem."

"Oh." Ryuu blinked, surprised it could be something so simple. "And did you solve it?"

Kyuu's cheek lifted in what could only be one of his happy smiles. "Yeah...I think I did." With a bright laugh at some secret delight, Kyuu started up his normal, energetic chatter.

Ryuu closed his eyes and leaned his head against his hand on the rail, his other arm still holding Kyuu as the boy talked excitedly about their latest case. Unknown to either of them, Ryuu softly smiled as he listened to his friend.

His world was set back to where it belonged.

_(completed 12-20-08, last tweaked 3-5-10)_

.oOo.

A/N: Confused about the change in tone? Take a look at the fic's title and think about it. Heee.

I had intended for this fic to remain a one-shot. But when my fanfic sempai was feeling particularly down, I decided to try to cheer her up with a second chapter. I'm pleased to say it worked!


	3. Chapter 3: Kyuu

**Shounenai-BL-Yaoi warning!** If the thought of two beautiful men who are attracted to each other makes you squick, best go read something else!! Rated PG-13 for fun sexual overtones.

A/N: I wanted to switch gears and write something different from chapter 2. ^^ This chapter refers to events that happened in my oneshot "Forgetting, Flirting, and a Frash Raive", but you don't have to read it to enjoy this chapter.

.oOo.

**_Its All an Act, You Know_  
**_(three: Kyuu)_

Kyuu skipped forward to reach the entrance doors to the Q Class building of DDS first and swung one wide open. It took some strength to hold it against the strong wind that was blowing through the campus. "Today is a good day! I mean that case was a difficult one to solve, huh guys? But we did it!" He grinned triumphantly as his four classmates filed through the door. Megu gave him a smile of thanks, Kinta and Kazuma were oblivious to his gesture, and Ryuu returned his grin with a faint smile of his own.

"I agree, it did take longer than usual," Ryuu commented.

Kinta grabbed the back of Kazuma's collar with one hand and swiped off the kid's cap with his other. He quickly scrubbed noogies on top of Kazuma's head. "Partially due to _this guy_ forgetting the stupid frash raive!"

"Hey! Arrgh!" Kazuma yelled and waved his arms while he tried to escape. "And it's called a _flash drive_! How many times do I have to tell you?!"

Kyuu laughed at their youngest member's frustrated attempts to escape, Megu hid a smile behind a demure hand, and even Ryuu grinned a bit. The sight made Kyuu's heart buzz with contentment, until Megu met Ryuu's eyes and they smiled at each other.

The girl had managed to claim the half of the sidewalk next to their effeminate classmate, and judging from the blush dusting her cheeks, she was rather enjoying it.

Kyuu barely noticed when Kazuma broke free and went to snatch back his hat. Kinta let him have it.

"I'm never going to live down forgetting that stupid drive, am I?" Kazuma demanded with irritation.

"Nope!" Kinta cheerfully confirmed, then hooted as the wind rather powerfully gusted and ripped the hat out of Kazuma's hands. The boy chased it down the sidewalk.

Three of the older DDS students watched him with amusement. Kyuu, however, was taking a long look at Megu and Ryuu from where he walked behind. The two were moving side-by-side; boy on the left, girl on the right. Megu's hand was only a few scant centimeters away from Ryuu's, and her skirt kept brushing against his leg as the wind sent it fluttering. The gale lifted her long pink hair up to twine around Ryuu's own pale purple strands in a pleasing array of color.

The sight of their merged hair made Kyuu's stomach lurch. He fought down a surge of possessiveness. He would not overreact, they were just walking. That's all. Megu was their mutual friend, nothing more.

Then her hand brushed against Ryuu's.

Kyuu suddenly darted forward to shove between the two. He grabbed both their arms and laughed brightly.

"Hey, guys! Let's go celebrate catching that extortionist! How about we hit the family diner just down the street?"

He tried to hide how obvious he was being by only glancing up at Ryuu, who looked slightly surprised at his sudden appearance, and instead keeping his eyes on Megu. The girl blinked at him, then blushed furiously when he squeezed her arm to draw her close. He could feel the softness of her breast and hips through his uniform.

"Come on, let's all go!" he encouraged.

Kinta looked up from giving the now head-locked Kazuma a second round of "Frash raive frash raive!" peppered noogies. He paused when he saw the three of them with arms linked, his eyes traveling from the still somewhat surprised Ryuu to the extra-bubbly Kyuu to the very red Megu.

He let Kazuma go.

The boy leaped away, plunked his hat down over his mussed hair and demanded, "Which one of us is the elementary school student?!" up at Kinta. When Kinta didn't cut a rejoinder, he scrubbed at his flushed face and followed the high schooler's gaze. _He_ didn't see anything worth staring at so intently. It was just their three friends standing together. He gave an irritated humph.

"Sure, I'm game," Kinta answered Kyuu in an even voice.

"Great! How about you guys?" He looked inquiringly from Ryuu to Megu, then over to Kazuma. "And you, Kazuma?"

Kazuma sniffed and brushed at his clothes. "It's already late. I need to get home."

Kyuu's face fell slightly. "Perhaps next time. But that means you guys gotta come!" he told his captives. He gave both their arms an encouraging squeeze, taking secret pleasure in the hard body he could feel pressed against his left side and the muscled arm wrapped around his own. His jealousy at Megu quickly turned into gratitude, as it was only her presence on his right that let him get away with it. And he had to admit her softness made a nice contrast to Ryuu.

Ryuu shrugged and gave him an amused look. "Okay. It's on the way to the station, after all."

"Score!" Kyuu cried with delight and a face that lit up the evening. "Megu?"

She gently tried to pull away, face still flaming, barely able to meet Kyuu's gaze. "Um...all right. But I need to call home first."

"Yeah!" Kyuu release them both--it was harder to do than he thought--and trotted ahead. "The Q Class victory dinner! With one absentee, of course." He gave Kazuma a playful nudge, all the while inwardly carving his arm-holding moments into his memory. He flashed a V-sign at Kinta as he passed.

The silent high schooler watched him, then fell in behind Megu and Ryuu, who were once again walking side-by-side. Kinta thoughtfully rubbed the back of his head.

.oOo.

The four of them entered the diner, Megu and Kyuu chatting away while the girl gave her coat to a waiting hostess, Ryuu listening to them with an indulgent expression, and Kinta still silently observing. When he caught sight of the main hostess, however, Kinta instantly dropped his earlier concerns like a kid lured away from a jigsaw puzzle with the promise of ice cream.

Kinta gave the woman a dashing smile when she greeted them. "Table for four, please," he delivered in his smoothest tone, all the while holding her eyes.

Her long hair was up in the classic double-bun style, she was quite tall, and looked very trim in her pantsuit. Her eyes seemed huge thanks to carefully applied makeup, and even Kyuu recognized she had a nice rack. The woman's cheeks flushed slightly at their attention, but she gamely returned Kinta's gaze before giving them a bow and turning to walk a short distance from the entrance. "We are busy tonight, so I hope this booth will suffice," she gestured at the table and padded bench seats with one arm and another bow.

"This is perfect!" Kyuu told her.

She smiled and stood their menus on the table. She caught Kinta's eye again as she turned away to resume her position at the entrance.

"So who's sitting where?" Kyuu asked them.

"Aisle end facing the door!" Kinta instantly claimed.

Ryuu turned to Megu. "Then you should have the other aisle seat."

The girl smiled gratefully and twirled a strand of hair around her finger.

Kyuu briefly grasped Ryuu's shoulder to gain his attention. "Okay then, Ryuu! We take the wall seats." He dropped his hand and stepped to the bench facing the door, sitting down and starting to scoot over. He banged his knee on the table and grimaced. "Careful, Ryuu. This is really cramped." He knocked the table again, yelping in pain and tipping the menus over. He snatched them up before they could fall to the floor. "Whoa!"

Megu touched a hand to her lips, face concerned. "Oh, wait! Ryuu, your legs are longer than Kyuu's. It will be even more cramped for you. Take the aisle end, please."

Before Ryuu could accept, more customers arrived, bringing a gust of cold air along with them.

Megu shivered.

"Ah!" Kyuu exclaimed. "Megu, since you're going to be sitting close to the door, you should borrow my jacket." Kyuu tried to stand so he could remove it, bumped the table again, and with a sheepish laugh finally managed to escape the confines of the booth, despite Megu's protests. Standing next to them once more, he began to shrug out of his jacket.

Flustered, Megu stopped him with a touch on his arm. "Please, Kyuu! Don't bother. I could always retreive my jacket from the hostesses. I'll just sit next to Kinta, facing the door. The cold air won't affect Ryuu, since he is dressed warmly, too."

The three of them looked over at Ryuu, who was wearing his usual gray shirt with long sleeves and high collar. He blinked in surprise at being unanimously studied, then grinned a bit ruefully. "As the second tallest, might I request the aisle?" he formally asked of Kyuu.

Kyuu grinned back and gave an equally formal bow. "Of course, sir! With pleasure!"

Together, he and Megu sat and scooted over on either side of the table, followed by Ryuu and Kinta. Kyuu passed out the menus, and offered to share his with Ryuu when it was discovered they were one short.

Happy and hungry, the four students opened their menus. Kinta slouched back on the padded bench, his attention half on the menu and half on the hostess. Megu sat properly next to him, back straight, trying not to pay attention to her knees occasionally bumping into Kyuu's, and wondering why she didn't mind her final seat that much after all. Ryuu comfortably leaned on one arm as he studied the shared menu, not bothered in the least that his side pressed against his friend's. Kyuu contentedly leaned into him, knowing this time it was his dark green hair that mingled with Ryuu's lavender strands. He hummed a cheerful tune under his breath, the missing menu tucked away safely on his back between his shirt and jacket where no one could possibly notice, and hoped his scheme for stretching an arm behind his classmate would be as successful as the ones for distracting Megu and finessing their seating arrangement.

Today was a very good day, indeed.

.oOo.

_(completed 5-9-09, last tweaked 3-5-10)_

A/N: Written to cheer up my fanfic sempai once again, which is also why I went for a bit of comedy this round. Hope you enjoyed it!


	4. Chapter 4: Ryuu

**Shounenai-BL-Yaoi warning!** If the thought of two beautiful men who are attracted to each other makes you squick, best go read something else!!

A/N: Written as a gift to cheer up my fanfic sempai, as always.

.oOo.

_**It's All an Act, You Know**_

_(four: Ryuu)_

A frown on his face, Ryuu flipped to the next page in Q Class' current case file. He studied the known personal information on their main suspect, one Doctor Takamiya Nakato. Dr. Takamiya was 37, worked in the ER of a prestigious hospital, and volunteered in his spare time at a health clinic for the indigent. He appeared to be a kind, generous, well-off, and attractive man...who also happened to be currently under investigation as a main head-hunter for a yakuza prostitution and slavery ring.

Dr. Takamiya's position at the health clinic gave him access to the perfect victim type: desperate homeless kids unlikely to be missed. And now, one of the Q Class students would be going undercover to gather evidence that would hopefully lead to not just the doctor's conviction, but all the way up through the yakuza ranks.

It seemed the slavery ring was on the hunt for young victims. Young, _male_ victims. That immediately disqualified Megu. Kinta was unquestionably too old. Ryuu himself would have been a good candidate for the infiltration--he was certainly attractive enough--but his height, deep voice, and his intense demeanor rendered him too mature as well. Kazuma fit the lower end of the target range, but his parents had flat-out refused. This was fortunate, since the boy did not yet have the inner strength to handle something this volatile. And that left one person.

Ryuu rubbed his forehead in agitation and closed the file. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and brooded.

When Kyuu bounced into the room, he flashed an excited grin. "Hey, Ryuu!" He hopped on top of the next desk and held out his now-bandaged and braced right wrist and hand. He gestured at it with flourish using his unbandaged left. "Hongou-sensei did a great job on this fake injury," Kyuu said with a laugh. "The bandaging even looks a couple weeks old! See?" He thrust his arm toward Ryuu.

Ryuu examined their teacher's work with eyes alone. "You're right, it's perfect. Seems tight, though." He glanced up to Kyuu's face and blinked. For just a tiny, fleeting moment, Kyuu's eager smile had faltered. Or had he imagined it?

"Can you move your fingers at all?" Ryuu asked to cover his surprise, watching his friend's face.

Kyuu didn't respond for half a second, the smile frozen in place, then he slowly pulled his arm back and dropped his gaze to study it. His fingertips wiggled slightly in answer. "Not much, but check this out." Kyuu turned his forearm over, then used his left hand to pull a white cord out from beneath the brace's end, close to his inner elbow. "One good yank on this and the brace snaps apart internally, so I can shake the whole thing off if needed. Hongou-sensei had me try it. Works great! It's a pain to get it all back on again, though. I can't use the quick release for just any reason. Emergencies only."

Ryuu made a noise of agreement and studied his friend once more. The eagerness and energy were back in full-force, eyes ablaze at the upcoming mission.

"Oh, you have the case file! I definitely want to look it over again." Kyuu reached for it, then laughed self-consciously and exchanged his outstretched bandaged right hand for his left. "I'm going to have to get used to this role fast, so I don't ruin the case."

Ryuu closed the file and gave it to Kyuu, who sat properly at the desk and began to page through it, eyes skimming the information. Ryuu leaned his head on one arm and reviewed the file from his seat. He'd read it so thoroughly he had the information almost memorized. Underneath his benevolent facade, Dr. Takamiya was a ruthless man who not only liked his side business, but appeared to _enjoy_ setting up hopeless boys for slavery.

In only two hours, Kyuu would be in the man's waiting room.

Ryuu resumed watching his friend, who was carefully perusing the doctor's personal information sheet. Why was Ryuu so disturbed by this case's undercover aspect? Yes, it was dangerous, but Kyuu understood that. Hongou-sensei was fully confident in his abilities. Megu and Kazuma had wished him well. Kinta had clapped him on the back and told him to break a leg. Even Kyuu's mother, while concerned, believed in her son. So why was _Ryuu_ the only one upset?

He rubbed his face, trying to erase the worry he feared was plain upon it. If Kyuu knew how disturbed his friend was, it would upset him and endanger the case. But...

Unable to watch Kyuu cheerfully prepare himself to face the danger any longer, Ryuu turned his head away and stared blindly out the window, his fists clenched out of sight in his lap.

After a moment, he felt Kyuu's left hand grip his shoulder. He stiffened beneath it, trying not to think about the warmth from the touch.

"Ryuu? Hey, Ryuu, you okay?"

He didn't dare admit the truth. Solving this case was too important, but more than that, Ryuu did not want to endanger his friend any more. Kyuu had accepted the risk, and he was prepared to face it. Kyuu was too intelligent to _not_ be nervous, but it was at a healthy level. One that would help him stay safe. Ryuu refused to disturb Kyuu's mindset with his unwarranted worries.

He faced Kyuu again, and his friend's hand left his shoulder to trail down his back and rest on the edge of Ryuu's chair. Ryuu met Kyuu's concerned gaze and felt a stab of guilt. So much for not upsetting him.

"It's nothing, Kyuu. You need to stay focused on the case."

Kyuu frowned. "It's not 'nothing'. How can I focus when you're obviously bothered about something?"

With a frustrated noise, Ryuu turned away to glare out the window once more. "I'm overreacting, is all."

"Overreacting to what?"

When Kyuu made a small gasp, Ryuu flinched. For once, he did not welcome his friend's deductive powers.

Kyuu's hand returned to his shoulder and gripped him tightly through his shirt. "Ryuu, are you _that_ worried about me?"

Feeling the blood rush to his face, Ryuu pivoted to fully face the other boy. Kyuu had also turned sideways in his chair and was leaning forward, eyes intense.

"Kyuu, I--"

_"Oi! Kyuu!"_ A clearly irritated Kinta shoved the door back with a foot and stomped several steps inside. "Hongou-sensei says you need--" the high-schooler trailed off.

Ryuu tried to fight down his blush, which he suspected contrarily burned even brighter, and steadfastly returned Kinta's blatant stare. From the corner of his eye, he saw Kyuu's smile falter again before the boy removed his hand from Ryuu's shoulder, sat back, and grinned a welcome over at their classmate.

"Hongou-sensei says what?" Kyuu asked.

"Uh...he says you need to shave." Kinta walked to them and held out a small black case and a fluffy towel. "Nanami-sensei loaned us these." Kinta shifted his weight, eyes flicking back and forth between them. He blurted out, "You any good shaving with your left hand? You're supposed to look thirteen or so. A shaving nick'll spoil that."

Kyuu grimaced. "Uh-oh."

Jabbing a finger at Kyuu, Kinta said, "You really should have taken care of that _before_ the fake bandage was applied."

Kyuu ruefully picked up the shaving kit in his left hand. "Yeah...oops." Ryuu was startled to see a blush appeared on his cheeks. "Um, Kinta..."

"I'll do it." Ryuu swiped the shaving kit from Kyuu's hand and brusquely stood. "Let's go now, Kyuu. You have to change into street clothes anyway."

Kyuu stared at him for a second before jumping out of the desk. "Yeah, good plan." He scooped up his school uniform jacket and the duffel holding his disguise and led the way out of the classroom. Ryuu followed him, taking the towel and giving Kinta an all-business nod of thanks as they passed. He felt the older boy's gaze burning into his back but refused to let himself dwell on what Kinta might be thinking about his and Kyuu's friendship. Ryuu had enough on his mind as it was.

.oOo.

Inside the men's room, Kyuu leaned forward to peer at his reflection in one of the mirrors over the row of sinks. "You know I only have to shave a couple times a week, but Hongou-sensei's right. If you look closely, it's obvious." He made a face and rubbed at his chin. "For once I'm not happy about maturing."

Ryuu made a noise of agreement as he set the towel down on the counter and opened Nanami-sensei's borrowed kit. "You'd better sit on the counter for this." He glanced up and saw his friend was watching him in the mirror with a grin. Ryuu raised one eyebrow. "Take off your shirt, too."

The grin widened. "It's a button-up, Ryuu."

With a sharp _clack,_ Ryuu set the safety razor down on the counter next to the small tube of shaving gel, crossed his arms, and stared at Kyuu.

"I've never been shaved by someone before, I just want the whole experience!" He actually bounced up and down on his toes.

"You're going to get the whole experience, but we both know you can unbutton your own shirt."

Ryuu stared straight at Kyuu, refusing to give in. Shaving his friend was going to be strange enough, Ryuu refused to even _consider_ undressing him as well. On some level he knew it shouldn't bother him, since they were friends and both guys, but it did and that was the end of it.

Kyuu held the stare for a full ten seconds before sighing and giving in.

Ryuu politely averted his gaze and turned on the hot water at the sink. He focused on the stream and tried not to pay attention to the sounds of Kyuu removing his shirt. Kyuu had never been shy about stripping off his top in front of him when they were home, but here at school where things were formal and straight-laced, it felt...different. Odd. _Intimate._ Ryuu stifled that thought and washed his hands in the now-hot water, adjusting the temperature to not be scalding. By the time he was drying his hands with the standard bathroom cheap paper towels, Kyuu was already washing his face and neck as best he could with his left hand. The right he held out, away from the water.

"Keep bathing your face with the water, Kyuu. We need your skin as soft as possible." Not wanting to stand there and just watch, Ryuu picked up the tube of shaving gel and read it. Luckily, it was unscented. Nanami-sensei knew what he was about, at least in regards to disguises.

After a minute, Ryuu picked up the towel and used it to tap Kyuu's upper arm. Kyuu straightened and took the towel with a smile. "Thanks. Now I remember why I shave fresh out of the shower." He ruefully mopped the water off his chest.

Still avoiding looking at the shirtless Kyuu, Ryuu took a double handful of paper towels and dried the counter on the left side of their chosen sink. "Sit here." He tossed the towels in the trash bin and grabbed Kyuu's jacket. And then, with the sharp inward order to stop being ridiculous and act his age, he turned to face his friend.

Kyuu had already hopped up on the counter and was sitting there comfortably, legs spread, feet dangling and swinging slightly. He appeared completely at ease, right down to his normal cheerful grin.

The sight of the other boy revealed under the harsh florescent lights made Ryuu start. Being at school, outside the familiar comfort zone of their house, forced him to truly _look_ at Kyuu.

Kyuu's bared torso curved forward so his corded forearms could rest on his thighs. Under the school's fitness and hand-to-hand fighting instruction, Kyuu's body was quickly shedding baby fat to reveal a hard and lithe figure no doubt destined to be more heavily muscled than Ryuu's own svelte body.

For some reason, that last observation made Ryuu's chest feel tight.

Ryuu knew it was pointless to hide his appraising gaze and explained it with the comment, "This is likely the last time you'll be able to impersonate someone younger than your actual age. Try to keep your shirt on in front of Dr. Takamiya. You certainly don't have the torso of a thirteen-year-old any longer."

Kyuu's grin turned almost sharp. "That's a shame, huh?" He laughed, and Ryuu realized his voice was deepening, too.

"Definitely the last time," Ryuu muttered to himself, then tossed the towel and jacket at Ryuu. "Here. Keep the towel in your lap where we can both can easily reach it, and wrap your right arm in the jacket to protect it from any splashing."

"Oooh, there's gonna be splashing? How fun!"

Ryuu felt his face burning and absently wondered when the blush had started. He wet his hands under the water, squirted in the proper amount of shaving gel, and worked up a lather. "This is serious, Kyuu. You know how dangerous that doctor is."

"Yeah, I know." He chuckled, another unexpectedly deep sound. "I'm just relieving tension, Ryuu."

"Hmm." Ryuu held up his lathered hands and half-way bowed. "Time for your shave, oh honored customer," he delivered in a dry tone.

Kyuu stared at him for a moment, shocked, then guffawed.

Ryuu couldn't help smiling at his friend's enjoyment of the joke. He waited until Kyuu's laughter calmed down before he stepped close. "All right, here we go."

With the formerly tense air now dispelled, and Kyuu trying to control his grin and doing his best not to snicker, Ryuu managed to relax. He rubbed the foam over Kyuu's skin in small circles, starting on one cheek, moving across his chin to do the other side. Kyuu's smile returned with a vengeance when Ryuu's fingers circled his mouth, and he kept grinning when Ryuu trailed his hands down Kyuu's jaw to his neck. Kyuu even stretched his head up to help.

At that, Ryuu glanced up and met Kyuu's eyes, who had remained focused on him the whole time. This close to the other boy, Ryuu realized Kyuu's position on the counter made him seem taller than Ryuu. The feeling was decidedly disconcerting. Ryuu took a step back, out of Kyuu's personal space, to rinse and dry his hands. He then picked up the razor.

"Time for the tricky part. Do try to stop grinning, Kyuu. The whole point of me wielding the blade is to _prevent_ nicks." Ryuu inhaled a steadying breath, exhaled, and moved back towards Kyuu. He touched his left hand to Kyuu's jaw line and raised the razor in his right.

Kyuu's mouth worked as he valiantly tried to control his grin, but it was no use. He used his left hand to firmly push Ryuu away. "Just give me a minute here, okay?" He grinned apologetically at Ryuu, then stared down at his lap and took a steadying breath of his own.

Ryuu waited for several moments, then suggested, "Try closing your eyes."

The other boy looked at him askance as he considered. "Good idea." He straightened, closed his eyes, and the grin faded at last.

Ryuu silently observed the sight before him. Shirtless Kyuu, his developing body golden under the bright light, his face and neck covered with white shaving foam, his eyes closed and face stern. Like this, without the eager grin and energetic gestures, Kyuu definitely could never pass for thirteen again. Ryuu was not sure how he felt about that. He was almost sad to see his friend changing, but at the same time, those changes were...

Ryuu viciously cut that thought off before it could go any farther. Now was _not_ the time, not with this important case riding on Kyuu's successful undercover mission. He firmly gripped the razor in his hand and stepped back towards Kyuu. "Second try's the charm."

He once again, he touched his left hand to Kyuu's jaw to hold his friend steady, and raised the razor in his right. He began on Kyuu's left cheek and pulled the blade down to Kyuu's chin in one smooth stroke.

Kyuu remained completely still and let Ryuu work.

Trusting his friend not to move, Ryuu used his left hand to slightly stretch Kyuu's skin for each stroke. He finished the left cheek, taking care to rinse the blade often. Ryuu nudged Kyuu's chin to turn his head when he was ready to start the right cheek, and Kyuu obliged without a sound or smile.

"Time for your neck."

Kyuu tilted his head back, still silent.

Ryuu remained focused on his task. When the razor revealed Kyuu's tanned skin over his carotid artery and Ryuu realized Kyuu's pulse was pounding, he paused. He noticed Kyuu's breathing had increased to match, though the boy was fighting it. A quick glance to Kyuu's left hand where it rested on the towel revealed it was clenched tight.

Kyuu's eyebrows twitched, and Ryuu resumed shaving with a quick, "Sorry." He debated for a moment, then decided to address the issue.

"What's on your mind, Kyuu? Your heartbeat is racing." He rinsed the razor to give Kyuu a chance to answer.

"I'm...just nervous about the whole situation."

Ryuu turned back to Kyuu and touched his neck again to warn him the shave was about to continue. "Yeah", he agreed. He didn't ask if Kyuu meant the undercover case as a whole, or their current circumstances. He didn't know which one _he_ meant, either.

When his neck was finished, Kyuu was left with a goatee of white foam over the top of his chin and around his mouth. Ryuu rinsed the razor again, and when he turned back, Kyuu was watching him.

Their gazes locked. They stared at each other for a very long moment, not saying anything.

Ryuu chose to break the silence and said softly, "Almost done."

He leaned forward and once again used his left hand to hold Kyuu's head steady. "Curl your lips around your teeth."

Kyuu complied, and with very careful, short strokes, Ryuu shaved his chin and around his mouth. Whenever he flicked his eyes up, he found Kyuu watching him intently. In a detached part of his mind, Ryuu realized that even with his own face only a few inches from Kyuu's, and held by that direct gaze, he didn't feel the slightest bit self-conscious.

When he finished the last stroke and Kyuu relaxed his lips, Ryuu did not step back. He studied Kyuu's mouth, then raised his eyes to meet Kyuu's again. As he expected, the other boy was still watching him.

Kyuu ended it this time, averting his eyes with a mumbled, "Thanks." He scooted forward on the counter and lightly dropped to his feet, forcing Ryuu to back away. He moved to the next sink over, turned on the cold water, and scrubbed at his face with his left hand.

Ryuu noticed the back of Kyuu's neck and his ears were bright red. The sight made his own face burn. He snatched up the shaving kit's small bottle of unscented moisturizer, swallowed, and walked the short distance to Kyuu. He flipped open the bottle's top and waited for Kyuu to finish using the borrowed towel to dry his face.

Their eyes met in the mirror, but both looked away after the briefest of glimpses.

"Your left hand, please." Ryuu's voice sounded deep and hoarse. He cleared his throat.

Kyuu thrust out his hand without comment, and Ryuu squeezed a portion of lotion onto the palm. He moved away fast when he heard Kyuu rubbing it in and deliberately concentrated on rinsing the razor one last time, drying it, and repacking the kit. "I'll return this to Nanami-sensei while you change. Meet you back in the classroom."

Ryuu was reaching to push open the door when Kyuu's voice stopped him.

"Wait!"

He hesitated before turning. "Yes?" He was grateful his voice had returned to its normal and detached tones.

Kyuu tossed the balled-up towel at him. "Don't forget that."

Ryuu caught it and hoped his desire to flee the room wasn't as obvious as he feared.

"Hey, Ryuu." Kyuu waited to continue until Ryuu looked at him fully again.

Ryuu saw that the blush had faded from Kyuu completely, and the other boy's confident and easy-going manner had returned.

"Thanks for the shave."

"No problem," Ryuu replied.

Kyuu's brilliant grin returned and stole Ryuu's breath away. "I'm gonna catch this guy."

Ryuu matched Kyuu's grin with a smile of his own. He felt profoundly relieved that his sunny, outgoing, always-energetic friend had ousted that intense almost-man he had shaved. He licked his lips and replied, "Yeah. He doesn't stand a chance."

.oOo.

_(completed 3-5-10, last tweaked same day)_

A/N: I've never been struck by so many giggle fits while trying to write as I did with this chapter. You see...watching a man shave is one of my odder kinks. I know it's decidedly strange--if still vanilla in the larger scope of the world--but there you go! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. :3 Also, it felt completely bizarre to describe _Kyuu_ as a gorgeous, built, sensual man. O.o Many thanks to my male friend for answering my ignorant girl questions about shaving and kindly pointing me to an instructional Youtube video that was almost pornographic for me to watch. Because of the kink thing. Heh. Oh my...


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